AROUND THE LEAGUE

IRA MILLER

Published
4:00 am PDT, Friday, September 12, 1997

NFC WEST: Tim McDonald's two fumble recoveries did more than help the 49ers beat the Rams. They earned McDonald a cool $900,000 as part of an incentive package he accepted in a contract restructuring to help the 49ers out with the salary cap -- and the money doesn't count against the cap until after the season. McDonald, a member of the NFL's first free-agent class in 1993, has re-structured his contract every year. Now, he'll get everything he signed for in that original five-year deal, which is rare these days. . . .

The Carolina Panthers made a mistake not resigning either of their veteran wideouts, Willie Green and Mark Carrier. Last year, they accounted for 42.7 percent of the team's receiving yardage and 41 percent of the touchdown passes. The young players replacing them haven't shown the discipline t o run good routes, and the offense is suffering. . . . If you're wondering why Rams QB Tony Banks looked so bad on Sunday, the phrase around the NFL is "work ethic." Coaches say they have an impossible time getting Banks to work during the offseason, and that's vital for a young quarterback.

NFC CENTRAL: Detroit's
Barry Sanders
has 55 yards rushing on 25 carries, the lowest total for two consecutive regular-season games in his nine-year career. Some people believe the fullback added to block for him -- the Lions used to run a one-back offense -- actually has hurt him because Sanders works better in open space, and now he has less of it. . . . Now that
Ray Rhodes
showed how to stop the Green Bay offense, will other opponents try to copy his tactics? The Eagles called 33 blitzes and held the Packers without a touchdown. Many people believe the blitz is the best counter to the West Coast offense because it disrupts the delicate timing, but few coaches are that aggressive.

NFC EAST: The NFL wasn't thrilled about that postgame scene in Arizona, with fans mobbing the field after the Cardinals upset Dallas. One security guard suffered a broken ankle when fans made off with the goalposts. Nine people were arrested inside the stadium and eight outside. League officials, the Cardinals and Arizona State, which owns the stadium, are talking about tightening security. . . . The Cowboys lead the NFL with 189 yards in penalties in two games. Said QB
Troy Aikman
: "I think any time you get penalized, it tends to show that you're not very disciplined." The Cowboys, 49ers and Jacksonville share

the league
lead with 20 penalties.
AFC WEST: The Broncos have not decided whether recently unretired
Gary Zimmerman
or offseason pickup
Tony Jones
, both career left tackles, will move to right tackle. Both of them say they're willing to do it. . . . Sunday's game between San Diego and Carolina is believed to be the first NFL game featuring two defensive backs who posed for
Playgirl magazine
.
Dwayne Harper
of the
Chargers
and
Tyrone Poole
of the Panthers are among four NFL players featured in the eight-page spread titled, "Backfield in motion: Score with four of pro football's tightest ends." It's due out September 20. . . . As long as the
Seahawks
continue to stink it up, you'll keep hearing
George Seifert
's name. But the word from Seattle is that the Seahawks will hire a general manag er before (and if) they hire a new coach.
AFC CENTRAL: Jacksonville's 10-2 record since a bye week last year is the best in the league during that stretch. "We have a real good football team," said coach
Tom Coughlin
. Presumably, the Jaguars will be even better once injured QB
Mark Brunell
returns. He could be back for their next game, September 22 against Pittsburgh. . . . The
Steelers
have gone two straight games without a sack for the first time in 19 years, and allowed 580 yards passing. Opponents are keeping extra blockers in to thwart the Steelers' blitzes.
AFC EAST: Here's how the Patriots measure interest in
Bill Parcells
' homecoming for the Sunday night game with the
Jets
. In Foxboro, they order pizza for the media. On a usual Monday, they go through 10 pizzas. Last year, they went through 20 before the AFC Championship Game against Jacksonville. This week, they needed 24. . . . Indianapolis is the only team in the league that has not scored a touchdown on offense. The Colts' line isn't blocking anyone: Of
Jim Harbaugh
's 44 completions, 70 percent have been for less than 10 yards.